Guan Eng charged with misappropriating RM208.7 mil state land to 2 companies
(FMT) – Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng was charged with two counts of misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land to two companies in the Sessions Court here today.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On the first charge, Lim is said to have dishonestly caused the Penang land registrar to dispose Lot 702 of Bandar Tanjung Pinang worth RM135,086,094 owned by the state government to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd on Feb 17, 2015.
Additionally, he is accused of dishonestly causing the registrar to give up state land at Lot 10012, Section 1 of Tanjung Pinang worth RM73,668,986 to Zenith Urban Development Sdn Bhd on March 22, 2017.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at the Penang Land and Mines Office on the 21st floor of Komtar.
The charges, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, carry a maximum five years’ jail, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin requested Lim’s earlier RM1 million bail posted for his three previous charges to be extended to this case as well.
Sessions judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid allowed the application.
Ahmad Azhari also set Oct 12 for mention and allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer the case to Kuala Lumpur.
Lim had earlier been charged with three offences last month.
He was accused of soliciting a 10% cut from the profits which would have been made from the Penang roads and tunnel project from Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (Zenith) senior director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli in March 2011.
He was also accused of abusing his power to obtain RM3.3 million in bribes to appoint Zarul’s company for the project.
In the third charge, involving his wife Betty Chew and businesswoman Phang Li Koon, he was charged with abuse of power and money laundering in relation to the award of a RM11.6 million project, related to a foreign workers’ dorms project, to a company linked to Phang.
Francine Cheryl Rajendram and Selvaranjini Selvaraja also prosecuted, while Lim was represented by Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh, RSN Rayer and Sivanesan Achalingam.
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Laporan Pertuduhan Lim Guan Eng pada 11 September 2020
Tertuduh: Bekas Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng, 60 tahun
Hakim: Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid
DPP:
Tuan Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin
Puan Francine Cheryl A/P Rajendram
Puan Selvaranjini A/P Selvaraja
Peguam:
Gobind Singh Deo
Ramkarpal Singh
RSN Rayer
Sivanesan Achalingam
Mahkamah: Mahkamah Sesyen Khas Rasuah, Butterworth, Pulau Pinang
Status: Mengaku TIDAK BERSALAH terhadap DUA pertuduhan di bawah Seksyen 403 Kanun Keseksaan (Akta 574)
Pertuduhan pertama:
Menyalahgunakan harta dengan curang menyebabkan Pendaftar Hakmilik Tanah Pulau Pinang melupuskan harta milik Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang, iaitu, Lot Tanah No. H.S.(D) 18801, No. PT Lot 702 Seksyen 1, Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Daerah Timor Laut, Negeri Pulau Pinang yang bernilai RM135,086,094.00 kepada syarikat Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd.
Pertuduhan kedua:
Menyalahgunakan harta dengan curang menyebabkan Pendaftar Hakmilik Tanah Pulau Pinang melupuskan harta milik Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang, iaitu, Lot Tanah No. H.S.(D) 19318, No. PT Lot 10012 Seksyen 1, Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Daerah Timor Laut, Negeri Pulau Pinang yang bernilai RM73,668,986.00 kepada syarikat Zenith Urban Development Sdn Bhd, oleh yang demikian kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah Seksyen 403 Kanun Keseksaan [Akta 574].
Nilai anggaran tanah: RM208,755,080.00
Hukuman jika disabit kesalahan:
i. Pemenjaraan selama tempoh tidak kurang dari enam bulan dan tidak lebih dari lima tahun; dan
ii. Dengan sebat; dan
iii. Hendaklah juga dikenakan denda.
Hakim membenarkan jaminan dilaksanakan bersama kes di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur iaitu RM1 juta dan dua orang penjamin bagi pertuduhan tersebut
Kes dipindahkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur dan sebutan kes pada 12 Oktober 2020.
